Jeniffer electronic book

"
"Shaf!" cried Matthew Branthwaite from the other end of the table. The
little knots of talkers had suddenly become silent.
"Shaf!" repeated Matthew; "what did ye do yersel for the King in
Oliver's days? Wilt thoo mak me tell thee? Didst thoo not tak what
thoo called the oath of abjuration agen the King five years agone?
Didst thoo not? Ey? And didst thoo not come round and ask ivery man on
us to do the same?"
The clergyman looked confounded. He dropped his knife and, unable to
make a rejoinder, turned to those about him and said, in a tone of
amazement, "Did you ever hear the like?"
"Nay," cried Matthew, following up his advantage, "ye may hear it
agen, an ye will."
Poor Mrs. Branthwaite seemed sorely distressed. Standing by her
husband's chair, she appeared to be struggling between impulse and
fear in an attempt to put her hand on the mouth of her loquacious
husband, in order to avert the uncertain catastrophe which she was
sure must ensue from this unexpected and uncompromising defiance of
the representative in Wythburn of the powers that be.


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